TYR's NORDIC TALES

Faorese metallers, Týr, recently released their ninth full-length studio album "Battle Ballads." Its cover was designed by Gyula Havancsák of Hjules Illustration and Design, who has designed most of the band's album artworks.

"The idea for the 'Battle Ballads' cover was born during a conversation with [singer] Heri, when he mentioned the title of the album," Havancsák says. "I immediately thought of the Viking singers who sang these heroic epics at celebrations and feasts. Around them, the members of the tribe: the elderly listen to the singer with a smile, the children are amazed and interested, while the warriors are filled with pride when they hear the heroic songs. My original concept was that only the faces of the listeners are visible as the fire illuminates them and the stories rise above from the flames. Since I made a cover with a similar composition for the Swartsot band a long time ago, I started zooming out of the image (to reach a totally different composition) and added additional details and characters to it."

The Hungarian artist placed the members of Týr "in the center of the picture, they are the singers. With cold and warm colors, I sharply separated the outside world, the fairy tale depicted in the upper half of the picture, which takes place in the world, and the lower half of the picture, which is the interior of the Viking house. These two worlds (real and stories) are connected by the smoke rising from the fire."

The artwork also features "the Midgard Serpent Jörmungandr (Miðgarðsormr in Old Norse) as the edge of the known world. The Viking ship crossed and leaves the 'border,' emerges from the smoke while the wolf Fenrir is absorbing the sun at the 'twilight of the gods.'"

"Battle Ballads" is available through Metal Blade Records athttps://metalblade.indiemerch.com/collections/tyr

Follow Týr at https://www.facebook.com/tyrband

See more of Gyula Havancsák's works at https://havancsak-art.com/

Follow And Justice For Art's Facebook at www.facebook.com/andjusticeforart/

MAJESTIC WATERFALL: BOKRNAGAR's NEW ALBUM COVER

Norwegian Black/Prog Metal legends, Borknagar, just unveiled the cover of their upcoming new album, "Fall." Its cover artwork was designed by Israeli master artist, Eliran Kantor.

"We wanted to portray the grandeur of nature," Kantor comments. "I went through the lyrics and immediately found several references to what I felt when listening to the music. It takes you to being alone and witnessing the loud pulse of nature, and since I wanted to portray something that won't repeat the mountain of [the band's previous album] 'True North' or any old Borknagar covers, I thought about the thundering thump of water. I thought about standing at the bottom of a waterfall, looking up at the evening sky when the rays of light color the sky in unique tones for a brief moment just before the sun sets, and all you can hear is the constant force of the water crashing down. Streams and drops hitting against the rocks, and below, we see a hint of wooden wreckage, clearly man-made, and nature takes its time to overcome it, drop by drop with the years it break down man's proud creation."

Borknagar's "Fall" will be released through Century Media Records and can be pre-ordered at https://borknagar.lnk.to/Fall

See more of Eliran Kantor's work at https://elirankantor.com/

Kantor and Borknagar are featured in the book series "And Justice For Art: Stories About Heavy Metal Album Covers," exclusively available at www.andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com

MYSTICAL UNDERWORLD

Italian Symphonic/Power Metal act, Winterage just released their new album, "Nekyia." The front cover artwork was designed by Greek artist, Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design.

"We wanted an abstract and mystic location which could describe visually the evil sound of the album, but remaining in the Power Metal context," the band's members comment. "The artwork represents a mystical underworld: the Nekyia was an Ancient Greek ritual when you could descend in the underworld to talk with the spirits obtaining from them wisdom and advices, but in our concept there was also the descending into our most terrifying subconscious, with the purpose to better know yourself. So, our ideal underworld for this album is both frightening and luminescent because, you'll pass through the arduous path of the self-knowing, but you will reborn complete as human being."

Winterage's "Nekyia" is available via Scarlet Records at https://winterage.net/shop/

See more of Giannis Nakos/Remedy Art Design at:

https://www.instagram.com/remedyartdesign/

Discover more stories about Metal album covers in the "And Justice For Art" books, available at www.andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com

THE EVOLUTION CONTINUES

This is the cover artwork for the upcoming new version of the book, "Black Metal: Evolution Of The Cult The Restored, Expanded & Definitive Edition." Written by Dayal Patterson, this volume offers an unparalleled level of detail about the development of the Black Metal genre, from the early 1980s through to its resurrection in the 1990s and onwards to the fascinating scene we see today.

This new edition contains 22 new chapters, 30 updated chapters and a new cover art courtesy of French artist, David Thiérrée.

"We are very proud to have another piece of David's artwork for the cover of the definitive and expanded edition of 'Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult,'" Dayal Patterson comments. "This is the 4th book cover that David has created for us and as a longtime friend and comrade it is always an easy and enjoyable process to work with him. On a personal note it is hugely rewarding to have a cover I am proud of and that I could commission after almost a decade, since neither I or any of us at Cult Never Dies liked the original cover and it was the only release I've been involved in where I didn't have a hand in the decision over the cover art, aside from the fonts used. Finally this book, my first and probably the best known, feels like my own again!"

The new edition of "Black Metal: Evolution Of The Cult" can be pre-ordered at https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=311989057895341&set=a.221196280307953

FLYING TERROR

Canadian extreme metallers, Cryptopsy, will release their first album in ten years, "As Gomorrah Burns” on September 8, 2023 via Nuclear Blast.

The magnificently apocalyptic cover artwork was painted by Paolo Girardi using oils on pasteboard and tries to reflect the themes of the album's songs. "Conceptually, 'As Gomorrah Burns' pits the Biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah against the modern-day Internet," the band's members collectively comment in a press release. "[The] idea was to show how it’s both the birthplace of invention and a cesspool of exploitation. The stories are based on real-life incidences—online stalkers, cults, misinformation, isolation, and intimidation—but ornamented deviously to enhance their potency. Cryptopsy commissioned Paolo Girardi to complement the old-world lyrical themes."

"Cryptopsy wanted the monster from [the album] 'Whisper Supremacy' flying in an European classic landscape with a burning town below," the Italian artist explains to And Justice For Art. "The colors are also taken from Baroque/Renaissance tradition with their cool/warm contrasts. I developed the monster as a more horrifying creature, but without changing its original nature/shape, of course." See the original artwork (without band logo or album title) below.

"As Gomorrah Burns" is available for pre-order at https://Cryptopsy.bfan.link/in-abeyance.fpo

See more of Paolo Girardi's work at https://www.instagram.com/paologirardipainter/

Discover more stories about Metal album covers in the book series, And Justice For Art, available at www.andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com

A FOREST VISION

American post-Black Metal act, Botanist, recently released their new album "VIII: Selenotrope" via Prophecy Productions.

According to the album's press release, "the title 'VIII: Selenotrope' refers to plants that flower in moonlight" which is partly what the cover illustration portrays. That artwork created by Benjamin König of Sperber Illustrationen. "Benjamin König is no stranger to album covers, particularly for Prophecy Productions' releases, for whom he's done several very notable ones," comments Botanist's main man, Otrebor. "He's a consummate professional that delivered the exact demands, even exceeding what we thought would be a strict deadline."

"VIII: Selenotrope" is available at https://verdant-realm-botanist.bandcamp.com/

See more of Benjamin König's work at https://sperber-illustrationen.blogspot.com/

Discover more stories about Metal album covers in the book series, And Justice For Art, available at www.andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com

CLASSIC METAL ALBUM COVERS WITH AN AI TWIST

Brazilian designer, Beto Ferris (who has plenty of experience working in the graphic arts field) is using AI, digital illustration techniques and 3D modeling to create peculiar rendition of classic Heavy Metal album covers. "As a huge fan of the genre, I realized that my passion for Metal could be combined with my design experience to create something special," he says.

See some of those image in the gallery below and find out more at Ferris' Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betoferris

UNIVERSAL MOTHER

Multi-national hard rockers, Woyote recently released their new album, "Mother Of The Universe." Its cover artwork was designed by Italian artist, Enrico Zappalà Castorina.

"I reached out to Enrico and explained I wanted a concept of a Mother like figure' this mother is the mother of all mothers, The Universe, Mankind, humanity," explains Woyote's guitarist, Mikey Doling. "We humans' should make here proud as life is a gift... But we as humans are unfortunately falling short of our potential. She is looking over us and loving us anyway unconditionally! Like a Mother does!"

"Mother Of The Universe" is available now. Check it out at linktr.ee/woyote

See more of Enrico Z. Castorina's work at https://www.instagram.com/MontDoom/

Discover more stories about Metal album covers in the book series, And Justice For Art, available at www.andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com

DEADLY BOX SET

Revered Death Metal act, Dismember are releasing the 12 LP Box Set, "Historia Mortis," which includes all of the band's studio albums and other assorted rarities.

The box set's front cover (above) and additional illustrations (below) were designed by Italian artist, Daniele Valeriani. "For the front cover artwork of the box the band wanted a sort of coat of arms with Death as main theme and something Lovecraftian," the artist explains to And Justice For Art. "In my mind, I wanted to make something iconic also because this is year they celebrate their 35 year anniversary. So I fused together some of their symbols, the influence of Master illustrator, Seagrave (who did incredible artworks at the beginning of Dismember's career) and other details from the artworks of the other albums of the band. You can see also something reminding Motorhead's artworks as well and at the same time I've added my personal touch."

Valeriani admits the band gave free rein to create the other artworks he designed for the box set. He also "made a new version of their iconic logo full of monsters and demonic being, an insane long work and maybe it will be used for some merch or on stage. This work was also brought to the artwork for the bonus LP where the influences of H.R. Giger or films such as 'Tetsuo' are evident. Hope fans of the band will love it. This box is a must have and for a reasonable price as well. I take this occasion to hail Fred and Richard of mighty Dismember for this collaboration."

"Historia Mortis" will be available via Nuclear Blast on July 21, 2023. Pre-order at https://nblast.de/DismemberShopInt

See more of Daniele Valeriani's art at https://www.instagram.com/valeriani.art.official/

Discover more stories about Metal album covers in the book series, And Justice For Art, available at www.andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com

CRYING CHERUB

After Van Halen’s guitarist Eddie Van Halen passed in October 2020, artist Margo Z. Nahas created a slightly modified rendition of her cover illustration for the band's popular album, "1984." In this version, she added tears to the little angel’s eyes. These details change his facial expression and give the image a somber tone. “I felt compelled to share the little rebel angel grieving, along with the millions of Van Halen fans around the world,” the artist says.

Fine prints of the original and new versions of the "1984" illustration are available at https://www.vanhalen1984.com/

The story behind the making of the artwork is featured on the first volume of the "1984." Get the complete book collection at www.andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com